Inertia device for controlling the firing of submarine mines



I G. E. ELIA.

INERTIA DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE FIRING OF SUBMARINE MINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I5, 1914.

Patented May 27, 1919.

. MWf/VTOI? Glow/1m [mama/e f/W mrmfssfs m;- non-ms Pzrzias ca. PHOW-L: um I wAsnmG mu. :2. c

the hull of the shi'pg 4o mit bfthe' passage: of h UNITE TATe PAIE TO FI f ,f tA

i 1 tionof the mi lie' lfi contact withamoving ship. The inventiom has particularl in view to permit of the operation of :the ring mechanism 1 without i it being necessaryi to e 3711 provide -a stationary upporting point on jJI the accompanying drawingganembodiment bf the inventionfis shown by wayvof Figure 1 is a Methane-Q, of the t g mechanis1n;"- l

i Fig, 2 is a plan thereof. a

Thepercussionpina -of the mine disposed oppositethedetonatorib iof ausualltypa is integral with the rod 0 formed iwvith the shoulderld under whichtheispring e eontrolling the erc'ussion pin islocatedinThis rod or spind e1is terminated-at =its;lower end l 1 in f known manner by a squarehead "f held by the claws g pivoted 'on' the axis of the gg rmgi ofthemooringcablew l l The percussion pin cojmprises a header piston adapted to slide n* a cylinder k the iwall o =whichis formed with "openings m of which there area suitable number per inner claws-Wot the levers 30 pivoted at levers, suitably curved *shown in the drawing, is provided at itslower part with 1 a roller g, {preferably} ball mountedpbearing on fan inner flange r of a flywheel '8 located within the mine and provided with'a -hub unt on t e yli d r 'l hrqu the medium oi'sbeurrac;

d with-the notches u a {The flanger is form the number of which correspondsto that of l the rollers 9,;the dimensions- 0f which are sulficien't to permit any of" the leverso to a e occupy the position shown in} Figs; 1 i

dotted lines.

5s a In a flangeof the hub 13 a notch is formed f .fs sals zeeaaar. wlpplicatiomfiledsepteinberilfi; 1914; Serial no: 861534. a l

on; relates to an inertia device M n a To yrcxnnsmmrnn, for ta.zwfiswms mwwemnn a l THE FIRING 0F SUBMARINE MINES.

end of which is acted upon by a Lfinger m provided with a spring y, and adapted to be maintained in the posltion illustrated in the .drawingby a sal-ammoniac block 3. l

The detonator is disposed in the usual manner; in proximity: to the explosivecharge provided-in a'cylinder w rendered integral in anysuitable-manner,withthe body 2 of the mine which is preferably sphericah it The OPBILtlOILiS as follows;

At rest the members occupy the position -1llustrated 1n the drawingythe stops n of the levers 0 (numbering four in the present casebretaining the head j of the percussion pin, and it as the rollers g of these levers bear Jon the circular shoulder 7" of; the flywheel 8,

there cannot be a relative? movement between the mine and its percussionpin. The members are moreover, maintainedin 1 this position byum safety lock constituted by the pawl 12.; a s V wV Vhen he mine is anchored; nthe salammoniac block 3. melts so that the spring y pushes the finger m back and'the pawlw liberates the hub 17. i In this position, when the mine is struck by a moving ship, the

body ofthe mine is in contact with the side of the ship and effects against the latter a continuous rotary movement owing toafriction. The flywheel s which has a compara- -tive1y great mass and is :supported' a in the interior of theminesolelybythe ball race,

movement between i the flywheel s and the body of thej:11il11.- A moment will therefore ibeireached where the rollers g which particip ate in the rotary: movement of the mine, will be facing the notches or recesses 20. At this moment, the various arms of-the their axes up. These levers then assume the position shownin'Fig. 1 in dotted lines and the proj ections n are released from the head 3' of thepercussion :pin. Thermine rising, causes the'spring eto tension until the claws 9 open and liberate the square end f i' of the rod or spindle 0. The percussionipin is then pushedback by itsspring 6 so as to produce the firing of the mine.- 31

OW'i'ng to this disposltion, the firing of the mine may take place without it being engaged of apivoted pawl v the does:not-participate:in this rotary: move :ment so that it tends to produce a relative 1eversbeing @cal'culated exactly to this end; 'theiabuoyancy of: the mine is .suflicientito causewthe oscillation of the levers. 0 about necessary to provide a lever or any other member bearing on the side of the ship manipulate.

Furthermore, it is also easy to regulate the "point of explosion by controlling or adjusting the strength'of the brake spring Z which will then exert a greater or lesser friction on the hub of the flywheel s thus giving .rise, to a certain extent, ;to the rotation of this flywheel by the rotarymovement of the mine.

The flywheel may obviously be located at any desired height in the mine." For instance, it may be located-at the, upper part thereof by suitably modifying the disposition of the locking levers of. the percussion pm. 1 This flywheel may also be provided externally of the mine orbe merely constituted by weighted levers fulfilling the same function. Finally, it would also'be possiblerto use the explosive charge itself together with its. receptacle-w asa flywheel; o

The invention is applicable to submarine mines of anykind. o

'What I claim is: I

1. In a submarine mine in which the firing is controlled by the rotationof the mine in contact with a moving vessel, a flywheel provided in the interior of the mine, comprising displaceable stops for the locking membersiof the percussion pin. a

2. In a submarine mine in which the-firing is controlled by the rotation of the mine in contact with a moving vessel, a flywheel in the interior ofithe mine, the hub of which is mounted through the medium of: a ball race on the body of the mine, a percussion pin, and locking membersforthe percussion pin-controlled by the fly wheel. a v 8. In a submarinemine in which the firing is controlled by the rotation of the mine in contact with a moving vessel, :1 flywheel provided in the interior of the mine vand comprising an inner flange formed with openings intended :to form movable stops -for the locking members of the percussion 4. In a submarine mine in-Which the fir- -ing is controlled by the rotation of'the mine in contact with a moving vessel, the .combination of a percussionpin, locking members for the percussion pin, and a revoluble member provided with 'meansfor holding and releasing 1 the locking members,- whereby the firing of the mine-"by the relative movement between the mine and revoluble member is insured.'-.'

springfpressed percussion :mea-ns'rfor normally: carrying said pin, and means engaging the;percussion- =pin andcon- 7 5. Ina submarine mine in which the firing is controlled by the rotation of the mine in 'contactfwith' a movingves'sel," a percussionpinya" head or piston provided on the percussion pin, swiveling levers'supporting sai'd'he'ad or piston, a flywheel mounted in the interior of the mine, a flange provided on the flywheel and comprising "openings to-form movable-stops for said swiveling levers. V

6. In a submarine mine in'which the firing is controlled by the rotation of the mine in contact iwith a moving --,-vesee1,- rollers piiyotled on the freeends' ofssaid levers, aflyw ee mounted inthe interior of the mine, v

aflangeprovided on; the flywheel :and comprising openings toform mfovablestops for said swiveling levers. 1 7. In asubmarine-mineinwhieh thefiting is controlled by the rotationi of the mine incontactwith a moving vessel, a percussion pin, looking members for; the ;pin,. a flywheel carried by'the mi-neand provided with movable stops for the :loeltingmembers of the mine,gand meansforholding the flywheel against movement 8.; In ai'submarine mine in; which the fir- V ing-iscontrolled'by the rotation of themine in contact: with a mov-ing; vessed, a percussion pin, locking members fora pin, a revolu- .ble member provided with 'meansfor holding and releasin the locking members, and

means for holding the revoluble member against movement, said means being V-adapted to be released when the mine is :inthe water.

9; In a mine, .ajrevol. ubleinertiamember, meansfor holding the inertia member from movement, 891d means bei adapted to be released when themine is im the water, a

trolled" by "the inertia member. s

pin, releasable 10. A float memberiniialrevoluble inerti member locatedlwithin the same, means holding said-members relative displacement andadapted to-bereleased when the float is- .in the water, -a spring-pressed firingpin, jawsnorm'all carryingsaid pin, and means reieased by ispl'acement of said members for'disengaging said jaws to release saidfiringpin. f 7 In testimony; whereof I have I hereunto set my 7 GIoVANNrE uUELn-EL In the presence of two witnessesz, I a. j 'GIOVANRI-VALAMLI,

2001mm Foam-an Copies of this patent may be obtained tor flvecents each, by addressing theI GantIi-islii oncrof intents,

T Washington, D. C. V

hand at Rome, this second day Df-SBP," a i 

